Slicing gage



Dec. 15, 1959 .1. w. HOLT sucme GAGE Filed Aug. 9, 1956 FIG. I

INVENTOR.

7. Hot. T

JOHN

SLICING GAGE John W. Holt, Galesburg, Ill., assignor to Midwest Manufacturing Corporation, Galesburg, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application August 9, 1956, Serial No. 603,038

9 Claims. (Cl. 31-15) This invention relates to a gage for facilitating the slicing of butter, oleomargarine or the like into pieces of specified sizes. 7

Commonly, butter and oleomargarine are sold in quarter pound rectangular blocks. While this is a convenient size for use at the table during meals it is not particularly convenient in cooking, since recipes usually call for teaspoon measures of butter or oleo. While various devices have been proposed heretofore for measuring butter or oleo into teaspoonful amounts and the like such devices have not been entirely satisfactory from the standpoints of sanitation and convenience in use.

The present invention is directed to a novel slicing gage constructed and arranged to support a quarter pound block of butter or oleo in sanitary fashion and to facilitate the slicing of that block into preselected smaller amounts, such as teaspoonfuls, which avoids the disadvantages associated with prior devices of this general type.

Accordingly, therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved slicing gage which facilitates the cutting of a block of butter, oleo or other similar comestible material into specified smaller amounts.

It is also an object of this invention to provide such a cutting gage of novel construction which enables a piece to be severed off the block of comestible material conveniently with a single knife stroke.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a cutting gage having novel provision for supporting the block of comestible material being cut up so as to maintain it sanitary during the cutting operation.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of two preferred embodiments thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: I

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing in full lines a first embodiment of the present cutting gage, and in dotted lines a block of butter on the gage and a knife positioned to slice the butter;

Figure 2 is a cross section through the Fig. 1 gage at one of the calibration slots therein; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the cutting gage of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the cutting gage is of integral sheet metal construction and includes a fiat, horizontal bottom wall ltl'shaped and dimensioned to support the usual quarter pound block 11 of butter, oleo or other comestible material. This block. comes in a standard size, having predetermined length, width, and height dimensions. The bottom wall 10 of the gage has a length slightly greater than the length of the block 11 and a width slightly greater than that of the block, so that during the use of the cutting gage the block of comestible material is completely supported on it and kept free from contact with the table or other supporting surface for the gage.

' United States Patent "ice 2,916,824 Patented Dec. 15, 1959 The gage has a flat vertical side wall 12 extending up from one side of the bottom wall 10 for the full length of the latter. The height of the gage side wall 12 is somewhat greater than the height of the butter block 11. At its upper end the side wall 12 is joined to a horizontal, flat, outwardly protruding lip 13.

The side wall 12 is formed with a plurality of vertical slots 14, each of which extends continuously for the full height of the side Wall. Each slot 14 at its upper end extends into the lip 13 and at its lower end extends into the bottom wall 10 a short distance. The respective slots are spaced apart from one another lengthwise along the gage by distances corresponding to teaspoonful amounts of the butter block 11. Preferably the slots are numbered from the front end of the gage, so as to indicate the corresponding tablespoonful measures from the front end of the butter block. The slot 14 at the 4 tablespoon calibration is also designated by the numeral M1 to indicate 4 cup there. An additional slot 16 is provided between the "5 and 6 tablespoon slots. This slot is designated at to indicate cup.

In the use of this gage, the block 11 of butter or oleo is positioned on the bottom wall 10 of the gage with one of its side edges engaging the upstanding side wall 12 of the gage and with its front face aligned with the front edge of the gage bottom and side walls. Since the gage side wall 12 extends up beyond the top of the block 11, the upper end of each slot 14 is exposed at the side wall and at the lip 13. The point of the knife 15 is first inserted into the exposed upper end 'of the slot and then the knife is pushed down to sever a piece off the butter block in one stroke. During the stroke the point of the knife passes down along the slot 14 and ends up at the lower end of the slot within the bottom wall 10 of the gage.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, shown in Fig. 3, the gage consists of a horizontal bottom wall 10a and an upstanding vertical side wall 12a which projects up substantially beyond a height corresponding to the thickness of the block 11a of butter. The vertical slots 14a terminate at their upper ends adjacent the upper end of the side wall 12a. Each of these slots extends a short distance into the bottom wall 10a, where they terminate.

In the use of this gage, the block of butter is positioned as just described. The point of the knife blade is first inserted into the exposed upper end of the selected slot and then with one downward stroke of the knife along this slot the piece of butter is severed from the block.

Although I have described my device as being made of metal, it will be appreciated that other materials are equally useful such as glass, plastic or other formable material.

Of particular advantage in the present invention is the factthat the indicia which designate the measures of butter or oleo are located on the gage so as to be visible from the side of the gage where the bottom wall of the gage is located. For this reason, when the slicing action takes place the comestible block being sliced is visible at all times to the operator using the indicia to locate the proper slot for slicing the desired amount. of material.

are constructed to permit the insertion first of the point of the knife, which serves to guide the cutting action;

of the knife throughout the stroke. Also, from the standpoint of sanitation the present invention is advantageous in that the bottom of the block of comestible.-

material being cut up contacts only the bottom wall of the cutting gage, which is imperforate except at theslots, and is thereby kept free from contact with the table or other support for the gage. Accordingly, it will be apparent that each of the illustrated embodiments is particularly adapted for the accomplishment of the stated objects of the present invention.

However, it is to be understood that, while there have been described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings two preferred embodiments of the present invention, various modifications, omissions and refinements which depart from the illustrated embodiments may be adopted without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A slicing gage for a comestible block of predetermined dimensions which has side edges, said gage comprising a block-supporting portion for supporting the comestible block and an upstanding portion extending up from said block-supporting portion at one side for engagement with a side edge of the comestible block supported on said block-supporting portion, said gage being open above said block-supporting portion at the side thereof opposite to said upstanding portion, said gage having a plurality of spaced upwardly extending slots which at their upper ends are closed and are accessible thereat for the reception of the point of a knife when the comestible block is supported on said block-supporting portion, each of said slots extending continuously from its upper end down said upstanding portion and into said block-supporting portion and terminating in said block-supporting portion closely adjacent to said upstanding portion, said slots being spaced apart from one another by distances corresponding to preselected measures of the comestible block, and said gage carrying indicia visible from said opposite side of the gage which indicate said measures.

2. A slicing gage for a rectangular block of comestible material having side edges and having predetermined length, width, and height dimensions, said gage comprising a block-supporting portion shaped to support the comestible block and an upstanding portion extending up from said block-supporting portion at one side for engagement with a side edge of the comestible block supported on said block-supporting portion, said gage being open above said block-supporting portion at the opposite side of said block-supporting portion from said upstanding portion, said upstanding portion extending up from said block-supporting portion to a height at least substantially as great as said height dimension of the comestible block, said gage being formed with a plurality of slots closed at each end, each of said slots extending vertically in said block-supporting portion a distance at least substantially as great as said height dimension of the comestible block, each of said slots extending continuously down said upstanding portion and into said blocksupporting portion and terminating in said block-supporting portion closely adjacent to said upstanding portion, said slots being spaced apart from one another lengthwise along said upstanding portion by distances corresponding to preselected measures of the comestible block, and said gage carrying indicia adjacent the upper ends of the slots visible from said opposite side of said blocksupporting portion which indicate said measures.

3. The slicing gage of claim 2, wherein said upstanding portion at its upper end terminates in an outwardly protruding lip which extends laterally in a direction away from said opposite side, and each of said slots extends into said lip for the reception of the point of a knife thereat.

4. The slicing gage of claim 3, wherein said lip is located at a height above said block-supporting portion greater than said predetermined height dimension of the comestible block.

5. The slicing gage of claim 3, wherein said lip is located at a height above said block-supporting portion substantially equal to said predetermined height dimension of the comestible block.

6. The slicing gage of claim 2, wherein said upstanding portion extends up from said block-supporting a distance appreciably greater than said height dimension of the comestible block and each of said slots terminates at its upper end in said upstanding portion for the reception of the point of a knife thereat.

7. A slicing gage for a quarter pound rectangular block of comestible material having side edges and having predetermined length, width and height dimensions, said gage being in the form of an integral structure comprising a fiat horizontal bottom wall for supporting the comestible block which has length and width dimensions at least as great as the length and width dimensions of the comestible block and an upstanding side wall extending vertically up from one side edge of said bottom wall for engagement with the side edge of the comestible block supported on said bottom wall, said side wall extending up from said bottom wall to a height greater than said height dimension of the comestible block, said gage being formed with a plurality of slots which are closed at each end and which extend vertically in said side wall above said bottom wall a height greater than said height dimension of the comestible block, each of said slots extending continuously down said side wall and into said bottom wall and terminating in said bottom wall closely adjacent to said upstanding side wall, said slots being spaced apart from one another lengthwise along said side wall by distances corresponding to preselected measures of the comestible block, said gage being open above the bottom wall at the side thereof opposite to said upstanding side wall for the insertion of a knife into one of said slots from said opposite side of the gage, and said gage carrying indicia visible from said opposite side of the gage which indicate said measures.

8. The slicing gage of claim 7, wherein said side wall at its upper end terminates in an outwardly protruding lip which projects laterally in a direction away from said opposite side of the gage, and each of said slots extends into said lip for the reception of the point of a knife thereat.

9. The slicing gage of claim 7, wherein said side wall extends up above said bottom wall to a height substantially greater than said height of the comestible block, and each of said slots at its upper end terminates in said side wall adjacent the latters upper end for the reception of the point of a knife thereat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 32,488 Meehan Apr. 10, 1900 1,076,882 Golden Oct. 28, 1913 1,796,212 Nadeo Mar. 10, 1931 1,892,861 Welty Jan. 3, 1933 2,340,369 Downer Feb. 1, 1944 2,362,737 Wood Nov. 14, 1944 2,398,192 Scheminger Apr. 9, 1946 

